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The Greek Woman Who Made History at the Oscars 2026

Published March 16, 2026, 17:12
The Greek Woman Who Made History at the Oscars 2026

A landmark moment in the history of the iconic film institution began at the Oscars 2026. Among the awards presented in the first half hour of the ceremony was one presented for the first time: Best Casting. And the winner of the award, presented by five actors and announced by Gwyneth Paltrow, quickly gained Greek interest with Greek-American Cassandra Kulukundis becoming the first casting director to be awarded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The veteran casting director heard her name announced for her collaboration with her regular collaborator, director Paul Thomas Anderson, in his film “One Battle After Another”, beating her fellow nominees, Francine Maisler (Sinners), Nina Gold (Hamnet), Jennifer Venditti (Marty Supreme) and Gabriel Domingues (The Secret Agent). Kulukundis has a long and successful career in casting, having worked with top directors and actors. Her award is a vindication of her work and highlights the importance of casting to the success of a film.